Purpose and Commitment:

Christ Hope Church is committed to providing a safe and nurturing church home, in which our children, students and adults can experience God’s love and grow in their Christian faith.  As members of the Body of Christ we all share in this responsibility and we further commit to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ so that each person will be “surrounded by steadfast love…established in the faith, and confirmed and strengthened in the way that leads to life eternal”.   

Standard Procedures

The procedures that we have adopted to insure that our children and students are safe include but are not limited to the following:

• A minimum of one adult who has been SHIELD trained and background checked in the room at all times. One adult can never be left alone with two or less children or students.  In the event only one adult can be secured, the door shall remain open  at all times; and there will be a leader assigned to roam, if there is not a window in the door.

• Students or youth may be assigned to assist with children’s ministry programs; these students are subject to the “five-years-older rule” and are expected to participate in a training.   

• During all Family Ministry programming, a drop-in policy has been established. Leaders understand that coordinators circulate to ensure policies are followed.

• Concern/Incident Report Forms are available in church office, in Family Ministry areas, and may be requested from ministry leaders. 

Restroom Policies

• • Only parents of children in our care are allowed to change diapers. All other diapering needs should be directed to the changing stations in restrooms outside the nursery.

  • Only nursery staff, “Volunteer Leaders” and/or parents of children in our care can take children into restrooms to assist with toilet needs.

  • Children are monitored by another volunteer from outside the restroom at all times.  

  • Students are expected to go and come from restrooms on their own.

  • When parents change their children themselves, they should do so in the restroom changing facilities. 

  • Adults responsible for special needs children, students and/or vulnerable adults should work with Family Ministries staff to create an individual plan.

Leader Screening Procedure

We have taken the following steps to insure that our children, students, workers and church are safe:

• All persons working with children and students are given information about our policies and procedures during their training process.

• Coordinators are in regular relationship with “Volunteer Leaders” in order to ensure that polices are followed.

• Anyone ages 21 years old + and wishing to be a “Volunteer Leader”  in an area that directly relates to children and students must consent to a background check.

• Completed background forms are to be returned to your coordinator who in turn will give the information to Business Administrator who will process the request. Results are kept confidential and locked. The Business Administrator will view the report. The ‘Background Check Authorization’ form is shredded to protect confidentiality and the ‘ Leader Consent’ form is kept on file.

• SHIELD Training  is for a (3) three-year cycle and must be renewed after expiration.   Background Checks are good for a (3) three-year cycle but can be requested at any time.

Guidelines for Trips and Off- Site Programming

The following additional guidelines address issues of safety that may arise when children and students participate in off-site trips and programs.

Transportation

• An adult can transport 3 or more children in a vehicle.  If an emergency situation arises where a student needs transportation and only one adult is available (e.g., utilizing two adults would compromise the supervision of remaining student), then every effort will be made to relieve the emergency situation.

• All drivers transporting a child/youth on a personal vehicle during an activity must have a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance (including the coverage limits of such insurance - 100/300/100) and must be (21) twenty-one years or older.

Lodging & Activities

• All off site events and trips require written permission forms, unless a child’s parent/guardian is present.  

• At no time will a student and an adult leader stay in a room by themselves unless they are related.  Students and adults who are unrelated will not sleep in the same bed.

• Adults and students will be split by gender for overnight accommodations.  Males and females may not share the same sleeping areas.

• When large common sleeping areas are used, adults will remain in the immediate vicinity sleeping near the exits.

• All participants should have privacy for showering/bathing.  If there is a common shower, arrangements should be made to schedule showers separately for students and adults.

• In independent activities (e.g., skiing, beach), students must stay in groups, checking in with an adult supervisor in a public place at designated times.

Procedural Guidelines For Handling Concern or Reported Allegations Of Abuse 

1.  Any allegation of abuse of a minor by a leader (paid or unpaid)  must be immediately reported to a member of the Family Ministries Team and then, subsequently, to the Senior Pastor immediately upon initial receipt of an allegation. Such notification shall be by personal statement, phone call, text, email or whatever form of communication is quickest in the circumstances.  If such an allegation is reported to a staff member, the staff  person should turn in  the report immediately to the Senior Pastor. If the allegation is against the Lead Pastor the report shall be made to the Chairperson and Vice-Chair of the Church Council Team and the following procedures should be followed absenting the Senior Pastor from each process.

2. Upon receipt of such allegation, the Senior Pastor, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Church Council Team will immediately determine whether the allegation in question is a reportable incident within the guidelines set forth by applicable N.C. statutes and the Pitt County Department of Human Services. If so, the allegation will be reported to the appropriate authorities as soon as possible.

3. The allegation in question shall be then reported, to all clergy on staff; to the  Chair and Vice-Chair of the Church Council  Team and to the appropriate member(s) of the Family Ministries Team, to the extent that they are not the initial recipient of such an allegation or the subject of same.

4. If the allegation in question is not a reportable incident, the Lead Pastor, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Church Council  Team along with the appropriate pastor and/or staff member(s) described in paragraph above, will immediately determine how best to further investigate the allegation in question, and/or address the same with the accused, the minor, and the minor's parent(s) or legal guardian(s).

5. Any concern or allegation of abuse regarding a minor who is affiliated with Christ Hope Church that is directly observed or reported requires immediate report to the civil authorities. Therefore, any report or allegation or observation of abuse made to any pastor or staff member must therefore be immediately reported to the Senior Pastor. The Senior Pastor (and said pastor or staff person) will immediately contact the appropriate authorities.

Procedural Guidelines for Distributing and Handling Concern/Incident Report Forms

1. Distribution:  Concern/Incident forms will be available to all Christ Hope Church leaders (paid and unpaid), church members, parents, students and/or visitors in a variety of ways, including but not limited to:

- in Family Ministries areas - (Children's Ministry Incident Report Forms are located in the Nursery or Children's Ministry Binders)

2. Handling of Concern/Incident Reports  

• • • All concern/incident reports received by anyone affiliated with Christ Hope Church shall be immediately directed to the appropriate persons as set forth in the guidelines established in the SHIELD Manual.  

    • Access to such reports during the implementation of the procedures listed in these guidelines shall be strictly limited to the designated persons.  

    • Following completion of such procedures, all such reports shall be stored in a segregated file cabinet or storage compartment, kept locked at all times, and made available for subsequent review only by clergy or paid staff who are directly responsible for making employment and/or leader selection decisions. 

3.  Handling of General Concern Reports:  All reports received by anyone affiliated with Christ Hope Church that relate only to general concerns shall be immediately directed to coordinators and pastors.

4. Acknowledgement of Receipt:  Upon receipt of the Concern/Incident Report Form, the Lead Pastor or other appropriate personnel will acknowledge the receipt of the form to the submitter of said form.